I sent your "matrocliny" commentary to my husband (a Greek/Latin prof).
You might be interested in his comments back to me. (I am a new subscriber,
thanks to two colleagues who insisted I would love this. I do.)

From: rnewtonATkent.edu
The most egregious example of gender-bias in English is, I think, the
existence of two words for students. Male students are students; but
female students are co-eds. This originates in schools being for males
only. So, when they allowed girls to come "along" (this is what co-
means), they were viewed as nonessential appendages. Kind of like Adam
being created independently, and then Eve was formed to assist him.
I have insisted that all my students expunge this word from their
vocabulary. I no longer allow them to say they live in a co-ed dorm,
for example, since that implies that the dorms are really there for
the one sex only. There are only male dorms, female dorms, and mixed-
gender dorms (although this is a misnomer, since gender is not the
same as sex; but we can't very easily call them two-sex dorms without
raising eyebrows; unisex might work?).

What an interesting observation on the degenderization (?) of the English
language!

What you said about how feminine equivalents of terms having inferior
connotations brought to mind something I'd read about the workings of
Las Vegas casinos: In casino vernacular, the "host" is the person who
cultivates the relationship between players and the casinos, kind of
a personal concierge whose job is to keep their players happy, regular
patrons. A female host is always just that, a host: A "hostess" is
considered one of those people who seats someone at a restaurant, or
who brings a patron drinks. It's generally considered an insult to call
a female host a "hostess".

Hear hear! My own opinion in the matter is, if the activity being presented
involves the generative organs, or the result of their use, then in the
interest of clarity we need male/female references. But in the interest of
getting something else done, it seems reasonable to leave one's focus on
sexuality in the bedroom and out of the workplace.

Just occasionally a description falls between two stools. Caroline Aherne,
well known as an actor in UK television's The Royle Family, whose portrait
has been shown at the National Portrait Gallery, London, was described as
"actor and comedienne" rather than "actress and comedienne" or "actor and
comedian".

From: Nora N. Stanley (pithyATwebtv.net)
Subject: Executor/Executrix

When my father passed away, I found I was not an executor, but an
executrix. I thought my title sounded more like dominatrix. Although
my outfits didn't include leather and spiked heels, I definitely was
quite in charge.

From: Robin LaTrobe (rlatrobeATiimetro.com.au)
Subject: Witch

I wonder how many proud witches such as myself will email you to say
that we are not demeaned by the word. We regard our high calling as an
honour. You should also know that the word is non gender specific except
in fiction. No male witch calls himself a wizard in real life. He would
be laughed out of the circle. Add witch to your list of reclaimed words
which were first used as belittling terms and were taken up with pride.
My list includes: Christian, Baptist, Methodist, Quaker, Shaker,
abolitionist, suffragette, dyke, fairy, queer, digger, feminist, Whig,
Tory, twitcher and, at last, nigger. How many more do we know?

This word also is significant in describing vocal tone. It is used by
proponents of bel canto singing technique to describe the combination of
clarity and resonance that is so critical to rich tone production for singers.
Others with more knowledge of the principles may write in with more details.

It was interesting to see this word, chiaroscuro, used in terms of
paintings. As an opera singer in-training, I have known the term for years
but in reference to the qualities of the voice. We use the term in
reference to a balance of the shimmering brighter (sunlight) aspect in
balance with the darker (moonlight) aspect of the voice.

From: Robert J. Nathan (rjnathanATearthlink.net)
Subject: chiaroscuro

I first encountered chiaroscuro in the theatre in the 1950s, where the
technique had been long-used in applying greasepaint makeup to dramatically
alter the apparent contours of a performer's face, well before the advent of
latex prosthetics.

An absolutely stunning set of photos, in awesome grisaille, of the
Holy Land are in Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair's Seasons of the Moon.
I invite the members of A.Word.A.Day to
enjoy this important work that celebrates the 12 months of the Jewish Year.

From: Elizabeth Creith (hedgehog.ceramicsATsympatico.ca)
Subject: art

As a printmaker (one who works with copper plates, linoleum blocks etc. to
produce original images by hand, printed by hand in small editions) I have
for years ranted against the term "limited edition prints" to refer to what
are essentially expensive, signed reproductions produced in numbers so large
as to make the term "limited" a joke.

A word has its use, / Or, like a man, it will soon have a grave. -Edwin
Arlington Robinson, poet (1869-1935)